09/08/2024
🩸THE SHADOW OF REDEMPTION🩸
PROLOGUE
I was preparing to go out with Grace my fiance that saturday evening... when my phone beeped, i was almost done so i ignored it and continued what i was doing, it beeped again and started ringing. With an hesitant demeanor i picked up the phone which was lying idly on the right end of my big master bed, to know who wanted my attention so badly. By then it has stopped ringing... The number was not a familiar number, i swipe down and clicked on the messages sent earlier... i read the content...
"Femi help me... Please.."
The second one reads...
"Phillips hou...."
I was scared and confused...
"Who sent this message?... What's going on? It's probably just a wrong number, after all, I'm not the only Femi out there," I thought, trying to brush off the unease, but the seed of doubt had already been planted in my mind...
I finished up quickly and called grace, told her i was on my way... She was happy and told me to hurry up cause she couldn't wait a seconds more to see me. I smiled and hung up.
I stepped out of my apartment and was about locking the front door when i suddenly felt dizzy, i had to hold the door k**b for support... It lasted for 3mins and then it stopped. I was so scared, I leaped back into the house and sat on one of the sofa's...
"What's wrong with me?.. I don't understand what all this is about fah... But this is not a good sign, lemme call mama if everything is ok.."
I picked up my phone and dialed my mother's number, she picked up almost immediately... She was so happy i called, i asked how she was doing and she told me she was fine... She also asked after Olivia and i told her she was fine and had left home about an hour ago, she said a few words of prayers and hung up. I was a bit relieved but then i remembered...
Olivia stormed out of the house in a fury after a bitter argument that evening, sparked by my concerns about her increasingly close relationship with Phillip.
I remembered telling her Philip wasn't good enough for her as i was sure he had no good intentions for her and also revealing to her the secret of my past with Stella Philip's favorite cousin to make her see reasons why she had to leave the relationship Asap... But she flared up and told me no monkey can get between the both of them, she was also angry that Phillip never mentioned anything about knowing her brother and what he did to Stella in the past... She left the house without giving a word of where she was headed.
"She couldn't have been to Philip's apartment? Could she?" I asked myself..
I was still angry but i decided to call her to be sure of her safety but her line was off... Despite my repeated efforts, nothing changed. I grew increasingly nervous and suspicious, my unease escalating with each passing moment. I picked my phone and dialed Tessy's number. Tessy and Olivia were besties they've been friends since they were kids. She answered and i greeted her warmly, we exchange pleasantries and i asked her if Olivia was at her place... she declined and said they had a little fallout over the week and they've not spoken to each other for days , i told her not to always take Olivia words personally and let go of whatever grudge she holds against her, she thanked me and then hung up...
"Olivia and fight nah 5 and 6 them be..."
I swiped to the message list and read the message i received earlier again and decided to go to Philip's apartment that was always her next resort after Tessy's place... But a thought struck me as i made to leave... And then my mind began racing through all kinds of possibilities...
"I hope its not what am thinking o.." I said as i walked carefully out of the house.
"After securing the door, I walked slowly to my car, which was parked nearby, and slipped into the driver's seat. I started the engine and eased out of the gate, driving away at a gentle pace.
As I drove, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Grace to keep her updated, and also forwarded the cryptic message I'd received from the unknown number, so she'd be aware of the situation and wouldn't stay up worrying.
In no time i was at Phillip's apartment, I had no trouble finding his house, as I had been there once before to mediate a reconciliation between him and Stella. I parked outside to avoid any arousal of suspicion, i quickly opened the gate and walked in quietly, the house was quiet and looked abandoned, it was unlike Phillip... He was a thoroughly despicable individual who always had loud music on and loud noises either from his friends or neighbors back then as undergraduate... But today was eerily different, the usual loud music was eerily absent, and the atmosphere was as silent as a tomb, still and foreboding like a graveyard at midnight.
I took few steps and i was in front of the building, the door wasn't locked so i turned the door k**b and it made way, i stepped in quietly to the sitting room, The sitting room was a testament to the turmoil that had erupted within its walls. The air was heavy with tension, and the silence was oppressive. The once-tidy space was now a chaotic mess, with remnants of the argument scattered everywhere.
Olivia's belongings were strewn about the room, a trail of her presence and the chaos that had ensued. Her phone lay shattered on the floor, its screen cracked and unresponsive.
The air was thick with tension, the silence deafening. The only sound was the soft hum of the TV, still playing in the background, a stark contrast to the turmoil that had erupted.
My heart pounded in my chest with sheer terror... I become more apprehensive and wanted to know what had happened to my dear Olivia since it dawn on me now that she sent the message...
As I methodically circled the sitting room, my eyes scanned every detail like a seasoned detective. Curiosity consumed me, driving me to investigate further. I ventured deeper into the house, my senses on high alert... Until I reached a door that made my blood run cold. A shiver coursed down my spine, and goosebumps prickled my skin. Despite my trepidation, I felt an overwhelming urge to uncover the secrets within. Steeling myself, I grasped the door k**b, twisted it slowly, and pushed the door open... As I entered, I was met with a gruesome sight: a human figure lay motionless, drenched in blood and shrouded in a blanket stained crimson. The air was heavy with metallic scent of blood and the silence was oppressive... I tried to flee, but my feet tangled in a discarded plastic cup, sending me tumbling to the ground. My face stung from the impact. Scrambling to my feet, I made a hasty dash for the door, but my conscience caught up with me. I paused, took a deep breath, and turned back to face the body. I refused to let fear turn me into a coward.
With a surge of courage, I cautiously approached the body, my limbs trembling with fear. The gruesome sight before me was almost too much to bear. I steeled myself and reached out a shaky hand, hesitantly touching the blanket covering the victim's head. I sniffled, my emotions threatening to overwhelm me. I grasped the blanket's edge, and it slipped from my fingers. Summoning my resolve, I seized it again, this time firmly, and gently pulled it back to reveal the face of the deceased.
I was paralyzed with shock! My limbs trembled violently, and I broke out in a cold sweat. I collapsed to my knees, screaming in horror. Just as suddenly, a figure emerged behind me. Before I could turn to see who it was, a heavy object struck my head, and my vision blurred. Everything went dark, and I lost consciousness...
To be continued... 😊
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